


Came for the Prince, Fell for the Pauper

by orphan_account, SeasaltSunsets



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Banter, Cinderella AU, Except Neither of Them Are Cinderella, Falling In Love, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Mild Language, Or the Prince For That Matter, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:40:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22327225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeasaltSunsets/pseuds/SeasaltSunsets
Summary: Things Roxas and Vanitas were supposed to do:-attend the royal ball-be charming and polite-win the heart of Prince SoraThings they did do:-attend the royal ball-get kicked out of the royal ball-fall hopelessly in love with each otherLife never really goes as planned.
Relationships: Roxas/Vanitas (Kingdom Hearts), background soriku - Relationship
Comments: 24
Kudos: 73





	1. Love at First Fight

**Author's Note:**

> One of many vanroku stories written with my gf over the summer. I wanted to polish them up and post them, and this one seemed like the easiest place to start. It also has a special place in my heart because...reasons.

Tonight was the night. The most anticipated night of the year, maybe the decade. The night everyone in the kingdom had been looking forward to for ages. The night of the royal ball. 

Sora, the prince of Destiny Kingdom, was next in line and soon to be king, so his father was desperate to find someone for him to wed. In that interest, he organized a ball, inviting every eligible bachelor and bachelorette within Sora’s age range, hoping the young prince would find someone he liked. 

When word got out that almost _anyone_ could potentially become royalty within a night, the youths of the kingdom went wild. All of them were willing to do anything to win the heart of the prince, and for most of them this night was the biggest night of their lives. A dream come true. 

There was, however, an emphasis on the word _most_. Vanitas, for example, could think of a million things he’d rather be doing right now. Pulling his teeth out, slamming doors on his fingers, kicking corners, staring into the sun after being in a dark room...the list goes on. Anything was preferable to being groomed, stuffed in a fancy suit, thrown into a disgustingly formal social event, and expected to offer himself up to some royal like an object. 

Yet here he was. That being said, when some douchebag guard had the nerve to chastise him for _looking_ too unpleasant and command him to lighten up and show some respect, his temper was lost. 

“You’re not the boss of me, shithead. You’re not the boss of anyone. You’re a pathetic little ant with no brain of its own, bumbling about and wasting its life following the commands of a ruler who wouldn’t even care if it got stepped on,” Vanitas snapped. 

Vanitas felt a swell of pride in his chest at the positively infuriated expression on the guard’s face. The man looked ready to throw him out, or even kill him. Whatever he could get away with. Finally, something fun was happening at this ball. 

The guard was about to retaliate, and Vanitas was more than happy to fight him. Before anything could happen, though, Vanitas was being pulled back. A pair of hands tugged insistently at his arm, their owner speaking up in a fake-polite voice. 

“Oh there you are! Please forgive him, he’s a little out of it tonight. I promise I’ll keep a closer eye on him.” 

The guard narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the newcomer, then sighed and gave a firm nod. With that, Vanitas found himself being dragged away. Once they were out of the guard's line of sight, Vanitas shoved the other boy away from him. Now that they had a couple feet between them, he could get a good look at his “rescuer.” The boy was about Vanitas’s height (i.e. short), with blond hair that spiked in all directions and eyes that he could only describe as bluer than blue, framed by absurdly long lashes. He was gorgeous—Vanitas couldn’t deny the fact—but he was also a buzzkill. 

Vanitas was about to snap at him for interrupting, but the little blond beat him to it. 

“As funny as it was to watch you tear that guard apart, I don’t think getting murdered and thrown into a ditch is how you want this night to go.”

“Better than being stuck at this godforsaken ball,” Vanitas muttered in response. 

The blond’s eyebrows shot up at that. He probably figured Vanitas was like every other loser here, tripping over himself in excitement for a shot at the prince. 

“Good to know. Besides, I doubt the Prince would be dying to fall into the arms of someone who’s got a mouth as dirty as yours. I’ve got to say, I’ve never met anyone that had the balls to insult a royal guard like that,” he said with a sly smile.

Vanitas wasn't sure what it was about this boy that ensnared him so, but he knew that with anyone else, he would have stormed off at this point. Somehow the blond was making him _want_ to converse. 

“Bastard had it coming. Besides, who gives a rat’s ass about the prince? I’m only here out of obligation. What, you here to try and woo him?” 

His companion laughs at that, and Vanitas has to admit, it's adorable. 

“No, actually, that’d make two of us. I thought I'd be the only one dreading being here. But you know, the food is pretty damn good, so I can’t complain much.” 

Vanitas laughs. “Yeah, I bet.” 

They fall into conversation easily from there, something that came as a pleasant surprise to Vanitas. He never expected that he'd meet someone so similar to himself at a place like this, yet things just flowed naturally between them. It was like they were meant to be together. 

Vanitas shook his head to clear it of the thought. Since when was he a hopeless romantic? Gross. This kid was just fun, that’s all. Nothing more. 

They both scowled when the music slowed. They knew what _that_ meant. It was that time of night, the part everyone was here for. It was the time where everyone in attendance would get their shot to share a slow dance with the prince. 

“Ah, so it begins,” Vanitas sighed. 

“Great.”

* * *

Roxas felt his heart drop at the sound of the music shifting. He was just starting to enjoy himself, after all. After over an hour of standing around awkwardly and failing utterly at the whole “socializing” thing that all the other attendees seemed to fall into naturally, he had finally, _finally_ met someone who he could connect with. Someone who won his respect, and who was endlessly fun to talk to. 

Someone he more than enjoyed looking at. 

Now he was overcome with a sense of disgust and shame as he watched his fellow people push and shove each other in a rush to get in line for their chance to dance. It was pathetic! Did they have no pride? Roxas certainly didn’t envy the prince either. 

The poor guy seemed awfully uncomfortable being passed around like a piece of meat, and for once Roxas found himself thankful not to have any sort of wealth to covet. 

“Eugh, we don’t seriously have to dance with him, do we?” His companion’s voice broke through his thoughts. 

Roxas grinned, and idea sprouting in his mind. “Not if we’re both unavailable.” 

The other gave a mock gasp, holding his hand to his chest and acting scandalized. “Are you asking me to dance?” 

“Are you saying no?” 

Roxas was feeling smug for a moment, until a sharp tug at his wrist knocked him off balance and brought him falling against the other boy. 

“Gotcha.” He smirked. 

Roxas felt his face heating up, his heart pounding in his chest. It took him a moment to regain his composure, but once he did, the two of them began to dance. 

More than a few odd looks were thrown their way; after all, they were supposed to be dancing with the prince. Why on earth were they wasting time with each other? Roxas didn’t care, though. In fact, he liked the attention. Let them stare. Let them see how much more fun he was having. 

“Wow, you’re actually not a terrible dancer.” A teasing voice sounded in his ear. 

“Don’t sound so shocked. The amount of dance lessons I’ve been subjected to in the last week were enough to have me seriously consider running away,” Roxas said. 

“I feel you there.” 

For the next few minutes, the unlikely pair had the time of their lives. Swaying, laughing, occasionally throwing in more advanced moves to mock the poor souls around them. Roxas entirely forgot that he was supposed to be hating this ball. 

Their moment was interrupted by a loud commotion. They looked over to see what had everyone riled up, and they each grinned at the sight. One of the servants, a frantic-looking, tall, silver-haired guy, had managed to get tripped up by a guest and spilled an entire tray of drinks directly onto the prince. 

Roxas cringed. “I don’t think he’s ever living _that_ down.” 

"I must say, I'm jealous. A small part of me has always wanted to throw a drink at a royal."

Roxas looked up to see a wicked grin on his comrade’s face, and they both began to laugh. Even that moment of joy was cut short, however, by the same guard from earlier telling them to leave. 

“What? But we were invited!” he argued. 

“Yes, to dance with the prince, not waste everyone’s time. There isn’t enough space in this ballroom for a couple of food stealing weasels,” the guard countered. 

That sent Roxas’s blood boiling. “ _What_ did you just say?” 

Now _he_ was ready to fight this jackass, and his hands curled into fists. 

“Let’s just go. This asshole isn’t worth our time.” Roxas was grounded by a hand on his shoulder, and he forced himself to calm down. Looks like the tables had turned since this night began. 

“Yeah. Yeah you’re right,” Roxas agreed, and he made his way out of the ballroom. 

Not before turning, staring the guard in the eyes, and shoving several handfuls of food into his pockets, though. 

As soon as the pair made it outside, they broke into laughter once more. 

“What happened to not getting murdered and thrown in a ditch?” the other boy asked. “You know, no one would notice if a couple of guys like us went missing.” 

“What do you mean, ‘like us’? How do you know I’m not someone important?” Roxas pressed indignantly. 

“You don’t get a tan like that by being a nobleman, love. And you certainly don’t get that scuffed up.” 

Roxas let his gaze fall to his own brown and calloused hands and sighed. “Okay, you got me there.” 

“Hmph. You know...I’m not expected home for a while. I have time to spare until this ball ends.”

“Me too, actually.”

“So? Feel like going for a walk?”

Roxas nodded with a smile. “Sounds lovely.” They only took a few steps before Roxas paused, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small pastry. “Snack for the road?” he asked jokingly. 

“Are you asking me to eat something that’s been in your pocket that you got your hands all over?” His offer was met sardonically. 

“You could have just said no.” Roxas shrugged. More for him, he supposed. He was about to take a bite when the pastry was snatched from his hands. 

“But that would mean I didn’t want it.” Roxas couldn’t help but chuckle at the look he was given as the other boy took a bite. “Man, this _is_ good. I think I like you, peasant boy.” 

The nickname made Roxas grimace. “Hey, I have a name, you know.” 

“Oh right. Food stealing weasel, was it?” came the teasing response. Roxas elbowed him in the chest. 

“It’s Roxas, I’ll have you know.” 

“Vanitas.” 

“Vanitas? What, your parents hate you or something?” Roxas mocked. 

“Something like that. Not that you should talk, _Roxas_ ,” Vanitas retaliated. 

“Roxas is a perfectly normal name!” 

“Keep telling yourself that, dollface.” 

They continued terrorizing each other for a while longer, until they caught another damned guard giving them a dirty look. 

“Let’s go on that walk now, hmm?” 

“Let’s.” Roxas nodded his agreement. 

And so, they set off into the night. 


	2. Whatever Happens Tomorrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"Let's keep tonight the perfect night, deal?"_

“You know what the worst part was? At the end of it, my parents got mad at _me_ for it! Can you believe that? Actually no, the worst part was _why_ they were mad. Because I damaged our walkway.” 

Vanitas cackled as Roxas finished his story. They’d been walking and talking for a while now, their sense of time all but gone. He told Roxas the full story behind how he ended up fighting with the guard. He talked about his home life (dull, exhausting, tedious). He recounted stories that made them both laugh. 

Roxas did the same. Vanitas quickly learned that although Roxas seemed the type to avoid conflict, he could be absolutely feral. He wasn’t one to keep his thoughts to himself, nor was he afraid to talk back when he'd had enough—no matter who he was talking to. On top of that, if his most recent story about him beating some Saïx guy (who was more than twice his size) into the pavement was anything to go by, he was pretty brutal in a fight. 

Vanitas also came to notice that Roxas was utterly adorable when he got excited about something. His voice shot up in both volume and pitch when he was really into the story he was telling, and he made wild gestures with his hands. Of all his mannerisms, Vanitas’s personal favorite was the way Roxas would look at him when he was done talking, his round eyes glistening like he was waiting for Vanitas to laugh, or to tell him his story was cool or interesting. 

“Your parents sound like assholes,” Vanitas responded. 

“Oh, they are,” Roxas agreed. “But...every now and then, listening to them turns out well.” 

Vanitas felt his cheeks heat up at the way Roxas smiled at him then, and he quickly turned his head away. 

They eventually found themselves on the outskirts of town, and the sun had long since disappeared beneath the horizon. They had definitely been out much longer than they were supposed to be. Neither of them were about to comment though. They weren’t ready for the night to end. 

Instead the duo made their way up a small hill. Fireflies flitted about, illuminating the grass and flowers in a way that was nothing short of mesmerizing. Vanitas stole a glance to his side and took in Roxas’s expression. The blond was staring, transfixed, his lips slightly parted and his eyes tracing the path of the bugs. Yellow-green lights reflected in pools of deep blue, and in that moment, not even the night sky itself was as beautiful as Roxas.

“This is kind of romantic,” Vanitas commented, breaking the silence. 

Roxas startled at first, looking at Vanitas as if he’d read his mind. Then he snorted, covering his mouth as he laughed. His hand half-hid a brilliant blush, nearly imperceptible in the dark of night, and Vanitas may not have noticed had Roxas not drawn attention to it by trying to cover it. 

“What? Getting thrown out onto the streets from a royal ball is romantic to you?”

Vanitas laughed with him before leaning in and holding out a hand. “Well, our dance was interrupted earlier. Care to pick up where we left off?” 

**…**

Roxas swallowed thickly. He wanted to respond, but words wouldn’t come. His mind was a jumbled mess. Vanitas’s eyes glowed in the low lighting, and the sudden softness of his voice had Roxas feeling like he would melt. 

Roxas never believed in love at first sight, but if he did, he could swear this was it. 

Letting actions make up for his lack of words, Roxas took hold of Vanitas’s hand. He was pulled close, and for the second time that night, they slow danced. The whole moment felt straight from a fairytale. What was next? Kissing in the rain? The thought alone made his heart skip a beat. 

_Damn._

He thought everyone was insane for thinking they could get the prince to fall for them only one night. Yet here was Vanitas, who wasn’t the prince sure, but who made him feel like there were butterflies in his stomach. It almost made Roxas mad. Vanitas would probably think he was like the rest of those pathetic souls if he knew just how much he wanted to kiss him right now.

Roxas pulled himself out of his thoughts, returning his focus to Vanitas—and oh, how he wished he hadn’t. He tripped over his own two feet at the look Vani was giving him. He hadn’t seen anything like it all night. His eyes gave away a fond look, the soft smile was completely different from the sly, snarky ones he’d displayed earlier. It made Roxas’s throat run dry and his face absolutely burn.

Vanitas burst into a fit of laughter. “Can’t keep up? How were you planning on wooing the prince with two left feet?” he mocked, getting back at Roxas for the dirty mouth comment he’d made earlier that night.

Roxas furrowed his eyebrows and pulled the other boy closer so that their bodies were flush against each other. “I’ll have you know,” he started as he stared determinedly into Vanitas’ eyes, which were looking back at him with a challenging gaze. _Wow they’re pretty. Almost like honey—wait,_ focus _Roxas!_ The boy took the pause as his chance to dip Vanitas.

Vanitas’s eyes blew wide open, not quite expecting to be dipped. Roxas couldn’t help feeling cocky about it. 

“That I would have completely swept him off his feet. He’s _lucky_ he didn’t meet me, or he wouldn’t have stood a chance,” Roxas finished. He wasn’t sure where this confidence came from, but he was riding the train. 

And just as soon as it came, it was gone. Because what happened next was completely out of the realm of possible outcomes tonight. 

Acting on impulse, Vanitas grabbed Roxas by his suit and pulled him down into a kiss. Out of shock, Roxas almost dropped him, but luckily his reflexes were quick enough to tighten his grip on the other boy.

Roxas felt his heart _throb_ , and before he could stop the traitorous thought from forming, it echoed through his head: _This is a dream come true._

**…**

Vanitas began to loosen his grip on Roxas’s suit and pull away when the other boy didn’t seem to respond to the kiss. God, he was an absolute fucking fool. He let his impulses get the better of him, and in the worst possible situation too. The two of them had mocked everyone else all night for wanting someone to fall head over heels for them with one dance, and now here he was acting the same damn way. 

He kind of wished that guard _had_ thrown his lifeless body in a ditch. 

Then, after an agonizing second, he felt the arm underneath him pull him closer, and suddenly, they’re kissing again. Vanitas didn’t stop the small exhale of air that left his nose in relief. Roxas pulled back to let out a laugh at that. 

Vanitas let out an irritated sound. “You little—”

“What? What are you going to call me next? Heart stealing weasel?” Roxas challenged. He acted confident, but his cover was blown by the redness of his face, and the way Vanitas could _feel_ his heart racing with how close they were.

Roxas was absolutely awful. Why did Vanitas like this boy he just met again? 

“I was going to call you a dirty rat, but sure,” Vanitas snarked. 

“You just kissed a ‘dirty rat.’ What does that say about you?”

“I don’t know. Kind of disappointed you didn’t turn into a handsome prince, actually. Guess I should’ve taken my chances with a frog.” 

“I could drop you right now.”

“You won’t.” 

Roxas did. 

Vanitas yelped as his back hit the grass. Damn, Roxas really was something else. Roxas soon joined him on the ground, both of them laughing as they lay beside each other. It was amazing, Vanitas thought, how there was no lingering awkwardness between them after their kiss. They flowed together so well. 

Without a word, they turned their eyes to the stars. Their hands found each other’s. 

**…**

Despite the rollercoaster of emotions he’d been riding for the past few minutes, Roxas felt a peaceful calm settle over him as his fingers laced together with Vanitas’s. Everything about the two of them fit together perfectly, like they were cast from matching molds, made just for each other. 

"Hey Roxas," Vanitas got his attention. "If there was a shooting star right now, what would you wish for?" 

"You believe in that kind of thing?" Roxas asked. 

"Not really. But there's a lot of things I didn't believe in until tonight."

Roxas smiled. He knew the feeling. "I guess...I'd wish to stay here. With you," he answered. 

If someone had asked Roxas the same question a day ago, he probably would have wished for enough money to never have to work again. Now, however, those problems seemed so trivial and far away. 

"Sounds like a wasted wish to me." Vanitas tried to laugh at him, but he was obviously flustered.

"I'm serious." Roxas pouted. "My whole life has felt like the same boring day on repeat, over and over and over. But tonight? I've never felt anything like this before." As if to emphasize his point, he squeezed Vani's hand tightly. 

Vanitas stayed silent for a few moments, then responded. "You know...I think I would wish for the same."

"Heh. And you made fun of me."

"You know...you're the first person who's ever made me feel like my life matters, Roxas," Vani blurted out suddenly. Roxas’s breath hitched. "Like there's at least _one_ person who would notice if I disappeared. I think...I think I'm going to miss you." 

"Miss me?" Roxas’s heart sank. Why would they have to miss each other?

"We can't stay here forever," Vani sighed. "At some point we'll have to go home, and once that happens, who knows if we'll ever see each other again."

Roxas felt a lump in his throat. He knew Vanitas was right. It was a big kingdom, and for all they knew, they lived on opposite sides of it. Even if they told each other where they lived, they had their own lives to go back to. Their own jobs. Their own families. 

When would they have time to see each other? Roxas was so foolish. How could he...why did he ever think—

"No, don't you dare start crying on me." Vani's slightly panicked voice brought him back to the present. "Let's keep tonight the perfect night, deal? Whatever happens tomorrow, let's make _tonight_ last for as long as possible."

Roxas nodded, inhaling shakily. "Deal."

He cuddled closer to the other boy's side and directed his watery gaze back to the sky. 

_Please...I could really use a shooting star right now._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _So what if I never hold you,_   
>  _Or kiss your lips again?_   
>  _So I never wanna leave you,_   
>  _And the memories of us to see,_   
>  _I beg, don't leave me._


	3. Not Like You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the rising of the sun, Roxas and Vanitas part ways—hopefully not for good. 
> 
> Roxas fills Ventus in on where he's been and why he was out so late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mayhaps I posted this while I was bored during lecture.

* * *

Despite their wishes, the stars began to fade, replaced by the faintest orange creeping over the horizon. They were so far beyond being late, their parents were certainly going to kill them for this now. 

They didn’t speak at first, separating from each other’s sides and pulling themselves to their feet. They turned their eyes towards the path at the base of the hill and nodded in a silent agreement. It was time to go home. 

Hesitantly, delicately, Roxas placed one last kiss on his partner’s lips. Vanitas smiled sadly in response. 

He turned away, walking off with a defeated, “Goodbye, Roxas.”

“Until next time,” Roxas replied stubbornly, dragging one last smile out of the other boy. 

For a short while, Roxas stood in place, watching Vanitas walk off until he couldn’t see him anymore. Even though part of him expected that they would live in opposite directions, he could hardly ignore the disappointment he felt when his suspicions were confirmed.  _ Maybe I should have followed him…No, that’s stupid. _ He pushed the thought away. If he did that, he would never go home. 

Knowing he had  _ negative  _ time left to waste, Roxas hastily made his way to the path, taking it in the opposite direction of where he really wanted to go. 

Not surprisingly, Roxas's parents were all over him when he got home. They screamed at him for getting back so late, but they didn’t seem too bothered by the fact that he didn't land a prince. They hadn't really been expecting much more from their less charming son. Perhaps they’d have been angrier if he told them that he didn't even  _ try _ , or that he got thrown out of the ball, but those were facts he planned on taking to his grave. 

With an insincere promise not to go out all night again, Roxas tiredly made his way to his room. The second he stepped through the door, he broke out in the grin he'd been hiding since he'd gotten home. He couldn't help it! The possibility that they may not meet again aside, thinking about Vanitas made him so happy he couldn't contain it. He  _ had _ to smile. 

“Roxas? What's wrong with your face?"

Ah, Ventus. Roxas had hoped he was asleep. Originally Ven was also supposed to go suffer at the ball with him, until he went and sprained his ankle. Oh, how jealous Roxas had been of him when it had first happened.

"Nothing!" Roxas tried to hide his smile behind his hand.

"Are you smiling? Don't tell me you actually won over a  _ prince _ .” 

Roxas shook his head.

"But you did meet someone," Ven pressed. Roxas couldn't keep the story to himself anymore. 

"I got thrown out of the ball," he blurted. 

Ven stared at him in shock. "You  _ what _ ?"

Roxas laughed and backtracked to the beginning of the story.

“So...I met a boy.” 

"You socialized? What was he like?" Ven asked, his full attention now captured.

"Awful. Absolutely dreadful," Roxas answered with a cheshire-like grin. "He had a foul mouth. He was rude. He had a horrible temper—in fact I met him because he tried picking a fight with a royal guard and I had to stop him from getting himself killed. Not to mention he didn't even want to be there in the first place."

Ven chuckled. "I see. So he's just like you."

"Exactly," Roxas affirmed, nodding. "I don't know how to describe it, Ven. Something with us just clicked. Next thing I know we're dancing and showing off, and that asshole guard is throwing us out. Oh! Which reminds me, I brought snacks.”

Ven startled when a food-stuffed coat was thrown his way, and he couldn’t help shaking his head at his brother. "You stole food from the royal ball?"

"Hey, it was complimentary," Roxas defended himself. "I digress. We ended up spending the whole night together: walking, talking and dancing. It was the best night of my life. I can't remember the last time I was that happy, Ven." 

Ventus smiled along. He was relieved to see Roxas so happy again. He hadn't been like this since they were forced to move away from his old friends a few years ago, and Ventus had worried he’d never be the same again. A sad thought occurred to him, though, that somewhat ruined the moment. 

"Wait, but how will you two find each other again?"

"You know...I'm not too worried about that," Roxas answered. "Maybe I was just seeing things because I wanted to, but...I made a wish on a shooting star."

Ven's jaw smacked right into the floor, like he couldn’t believe the boy he was talking to was still Roxas. Since when had his little brother been so childishly hopeful? 

"Some part of me knew asking for one night to last forever was unreasonable, so instead I wished that I could see him again soon." Roxas shrugged. 

Ven threw a pillow at him in play anger. "You could have fixed my ankle or asked for money, but you chose to waste your wish on some boy you just met." He was kidding of course, but it was fun to watch Roxas's face turn red. 

"He's not just  _ some boy! _ I—he's special, okay?" Roxas protested. 

"Fell for him that hard already? That's not like you," Ven commented. 

“Like I said. He's special." 

"Well." Ventus laid back in bed, staring up at the ceiling. "If he's that important to you, then I know you'll find him somehow."

"Thanks, Ven." Roxas smiled softly.

"Of course. Now for the love of all things good, go to bed."

“Yeah yeah.” 

Roxas crawled into bed, surprised his legs could still hold up him with how long he’d been awake. The daylight was already filtering in through the window, and Roxas stared out over the horizon. Somewhere out there, he wondered, was Vanitas also awake and thinking of him? When they slept, would they dream of each other? 

“Eyes closed, Roxas,” Ventus scolded him. 

“Yes sir,” Roxas replied sarcastically, turning onto his side and pulling his pillow over his head to block out the sun. 

Within seconds, he was out like a light, a smile forming on his face as he dreamt about the perfect night with the perfect boy—whom he was sure he’d see again soon enough. 

  
  
  



	4. Making A Scene

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Come hell or high water, Roxas _will _find Vanitas again.__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I could give a million excuses as to why this took me so long to finish this but not only do you not care, only like five of them would actually be valid.

Days went by and Roxas and Vanitas both returned to their everyday lives—but they never forgot each other or the night they spent together. Roxas went out more and volunteered to run errands in hopes that maybe he’d run into Vanitas. His parents found it odd, but as long as he was working, they shrugged it off. 

He tried his best not to lose heart, going out to search every day, even when he normally would have begged his parents to give him a day off. Roxas saw parts of the town he hadn’t even known existed before, going well outside the area he was told to stay in for his own safety. He knew it was risky wandering so far from home, and a few times he panicked when he realized he’d gotten himself lost and wasn’t sure how to get back. It was worth it, he had to remind himself. It was for Vanitas.

Whether the morning was too cold, or the afternoon too hot, Roxas didn’t care. He didn’t even care when his only decent pair of shoes wore down, or when his legs were so tired he could crumble on the spot. Finding Vanitas was more important. That awful devil of a man had a death grip on his heart, and Roxas didn’t want him to let go. 

However, as the weeks went by, Roxas found himself feeling increasingly discouraged. Shouldn’t he have found him by now? Maybe he really would never see the other boy again. He should’ve known wishing on a shooting star was stupid.

“Why do you look so sad?” Ventus asked him one day when he all but fell through their front door and collapsed in a defeated lump on the floor. 

“You know why,” Roxas grumbled in response, not even bothering to lift his head. 

“I think I have something that will cheer you up,” Ventus told him. Roxas gave a noncommittal grunt in response. 

He heard the sound of paper flapping, and soon enough he felt something light landing on his head. Pushing past his own exhaustion, Roxas hauled himself into a sitting position to read what Ventus had thrown at him. 

It was a kingdom-wide announcement for a royal wedding. Right, the prince must’ve found someone to wed. That’s what Roxas and Vanitas had gone for. It turned out the silver-haired servant who had caused the accident at the ball had somehow won over the Prince’s affections. Huh, go figure.

“Why would this cheer me up, Ven?” Roxas sighed. 

“Everyone in the kingdom is invited to the ceremony. _Everyone,_ ” Ventus said.

Everyone in the... _oh_. Roxas’s heart sped up. This was his opportunity. Maybe Vanitas would be there. Maybe it was foolish for him to get his hopes up, but just for a day, he’d play the fool. 

Roxas and his family traveled out for the ceremony, and even at the sight of all the people in attendance, his determination didn’t falter. He would find Vanitas. He would be here. And maybe, just maybe he’d be looking for him, too.

The ceremony got underway. Roxas hadn’t been alive for the last royal wedding, but it was just as over the top as he’d anticipated. The Prince didn’t seem all that interested in the uproar over it; in fact he looked like he just wanted to pick up the silver-haired boy and run off to be alone together. Roxas could respect that. 

Every time someone with black hair crossed his peripheral, Roxas would turn immediately only to be met with disappointment—that is, until he heard a commotion.

A crowd gathered around, and Roxas couldn’t help but be pulled towards the chaos. And that’s when he saw him. A laugh bubbled from deep down. Of course this is how he’d find him. Just the same as the first time.

Arguing with a royal guard.

…

Vanitas was beyond pissed off. All he wanted was to wait by the entrance in case Roxas hadn’t gotten to the ceremony yet, so he’d see him when he did; but some asshole guard kept insisting he couldn’t stand there. 

He’d waited too long for an opportunity like this. For _weeks_ Vanitas had been making any and all excuses to leave home, spending hours upon hours searching anywhere and everywhere for the jerk who stole his heart. “Lovestruck puppy” wasn’t a phrase he’d ever thought could describe himself, but, for Roxas, he knew he’d wander the whole planet searching. 

Now that he finally had a real chance at finding the blond, he wasn’t going to let some douchebag with a fancy spear intimidate him.

"Listen here shit face, I'm not in anyone's way! Let me wait here!"

"No, _you_ listen, boy. Either go all the way inside or I'll throw you outside."

"Oh, just try it after I break your arm!"

"Okay, that's it you little—"

"Vani!"

Vanitas immediately whirled around at the sound of his name being called, his heart-stopping. _That voice...is he here?_

"Vanitas, you moron, what did I tell you about getting yourself killed!"

He smiled. He knew now, beyond a shadow of a doubt: that was Roxas. 

Forgetting the guard entirely, Vanitas shoved people out of his way until he saw him. The annoyed look on Roxas's face was adorable, but not as adorable as the way the blond's eyes lit up when they met Vanitas's. It was a look full of excitement, relief, affection, and a million other things all swirled together that Vanitas was sure were reflected in his own eyes. 

In a flash, they threw themselves at each other so fast they nearly fell over, but they managed to stay on their feet. Vanitas took a step back after a moment to look Roxas up and down. 

It was really him. He was here. They were together again. 

"Where the _hell_ have you been, you little weasel?" he asked in a soft tone that didn't match his words. 

"Shut your rat-kissing mouth and hug me, you ass," Roxas huffed in response. 

So Vanitas pulled him close and squeezed until he thought the skinnier boy might snap. Roxas was _here_ , and he was his, and Vanitas was never letting him go. 

…

Roxas sighed happily, hugging back as hard as he could and blinking back tears. He didn’t know what on earth he was thinking, ever letting Vani leave him last time. Everything felt so right when they were together, and so horribly, horribly wrong when they were apart. 

Whatever it took, they were never parting ways again. 

"Hey! You two!"

Both boys jolted at the loud shout. Crap, they'd made a scene again; so many eyes were on them, it was unnerving. They let go of each other to look for where the voice came from and were shocked to find the prince, of all people, pushing through the crowd to get to them. 

"I'm so glad to see you two again!” he shouted in a cheery tone. "I looked all over for you towards the end of the ball, but you disappeared!"

Roxas and Vanitas shared a glance, then looked back at the over-enthusiastic prince grinning at them so wide his face threatened to split in half. Both were speechless. 

"Oh, where are my manners? I never formally introduced myself. I'm Sora!" Sora extended his hand towards them expectantly, and Roxas shook it hesitantly. 

"R-Roxas," he stammered out, his mind reeling in confusion. 

Vanitas introduced himself next, looking equally as confused. 

"Your highness, what on earth are you doing?" one of the officials hissed. Sora ignored them. 

"I really wanted to thank you two. None of this would have been possible without you," Sora said, gesturing to the whole ceremony. 

"Sorry, I don't follow." Roxas gulped. Was that an appropriate way to talk to royalty? Was he about to die for misspeaking? It wasn't his fault he was lost, right?

"The night of the ball, I was _so_ jealous when I saw you dancing together. You two looked so incredibly happy, and I wondered, 'why can't I have that?' But then it hit me. If I really wanted to find the right person, maybe I shouldn't go with the obvious choice. Maybe I should look somewhere unexpected, too!"

"Wait, so you're saying..."

"If it wasn't for you, I might never have asked Riku to dance with me!"

Roxas felt a shudder at the number of murderous glares being directed at him and Vanitas. They knew Sora meant well, but did he have to announce to the whole kingdom that it was _their_ fault that Sora fell for a serving boy instead of a party guest?

"Please, if there's anything you want, anything at all, tell me! I could never thank you enough!" Sora practically vibrated with excitement, and Roxas thought he was going to faint.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that he's walked straight into a damn fairytale book.

“Ah, thank you very much, but that’s not necessary,” Roxas responded. He couldn’t look directly at Sora with his insanely bright smile, but he couldn’t look anywhere else without locking eyes with someone who was glaring at him with murderous intent. 

Of course there were a million things Roxas wanted to ask for. Who didn’t have things they dreamed of having someday? Only an insane person would have the nerve to demand anything from a prince, though; especially at his own wedding.

“Don’t listen to him, he’s trying to be nice.” Oh right, how could Roxas forget? Vanitas _was_ an insane person. 

“Vani, be quiet.”

“Hush, Roxy. It’s fine.” Vanitas flashed a smile that was so confident, Roxas almost believed he knew what he was doing. Almost. Vani took a step closer to Sora, a smug look on his face, and while a part of Roxas wanted to strangle him for being an idiot, he knew this reckless boldness was one of the main reasons he fell for Vanitas in the first place. “You’re serious? I can ask you for _anything_ right now?” 

“Yes!” Sora beamed. He wasn’t the least bit bothered by Vani’s behavior. 

“In that case, what I want…” Vanitas began, grabbing Roxas by the arm and pulling him close to his chest. “Is to never spend another second away from him again. Can you make that happen?”

Roxas could tell his face was positively flaming. _He could’ve asked for anything in the world, and he chose...me?_ Not to say he’d had any doubts before, but hearing for sure that Vanitas wanted to be with him every bit as he wanted to be with Vanitas...nothing could have made Roxas happier. 

“That’s all?” Sora cocked his head, then laughed. “I think you’re _both_ too nice. Consider it done!” 

“Do you really mean that?” Roxas asked before he could stop himself. 

“I promise. You just worry about enjoying the ceremony and leave everything else to me!” 

Vanitas and Roxas watched as Sora hurried back to his soon-to-be-husband’s side. The tension didn’t drain from the room, per se, but things did calm back down. The boys found their families again, found a place to stand together, and did as Sora said. They simply enjoyed the ceremony. 

“You were right, Rox,” Ventus whispered in his brother’s ear. “He is awful.”

“I know,” Roxas whispered back with a grin. 

“You sure you wanna be stuck with him forever?” 

“More sure than I’ve been of anything in my life.”

* * *

Roxas woke up to the sound of a pan banging _hard_ against another pan. Repeatedly. 

“Not again,” he grumbled, turning to get out of bed and make the noise stop. 

He didn’t so much as get one leg out from under the covers before an arm was wrapping around his waist and dragging him back. A firm warmth pressed against him, and Roxas would have loved to stay and go back to sleep, but the banging was getting louder, and it showed no signs of letting up. 

“Mm. Vani, we hafta get up.” Roxas batted at the other boy’s arm, but he lacked the energy to push him away. 

“If we ignore him long enough, he’ll go away,” Vanitas argued, refusing to budge. 

“That’s what you said last time. Remember what happened?” Roxas twisted around to face him. 

“He broke the door down and threw a bucket of water on us?” Vanitas recalled. 

“He broke the door down and threw a bucket of water on us.” Roxas nodded. “Now we can risk angering him again, or we can get up.” 

Vanitas pursed his lips, legitimately debating the options. Then, he rolled out of bed, stomped his way over to the door, and threw it open. 

“You _have_ to stop doing this, Ventus,” he hissed at the blond standing in front of him. 

“No, _you_ have to stop sleeping in. A _prince_ gave us jobs in his _court_ just so we would be allowed to live here. The least you two can do is wake up in time to show up to the meetings,” Ventus scolded. 

“But Ven—” Roxas began to protest. 

“I know, you ‘don’t understand anything they’re saying’ and ‘looking at Riku’s stupid face makes you want to throw up,’ but that’s not an excuse. You know how happy Sora gets when you pitch in.” 

Roxas would have said more, but then he’d just be arguing for argument's sake. Ventus was right—and more than that, he didn’t truly mind the meetings. For the past few months Roxas had been living a dream. He shared a room in a palace with the love of his life; he finally had the freedom to do just about anything he wanted; things worked out so well his parents weren’t even mad at him for falling for Vanitas; Ventus was right there with him, keeping him in line (albeit it obnoxiously); and to top it all off, he was _best friends_ with the future king of Destiny Kingdom. 

All he had to do to stay in this dream was to survive the bi-weekly court meetings. 

“Calm down, Venty-Wenty, no need to hit me with that,” Vanitas said, gesturing to the pan which Ventus was holding in a vaguely threatening manner. “We’ll be out in a minute.” 

“You better be,” Ven replied, then left to let them get ready. 

Vanitas shook his head and closed the door, laughing as he hopped back onto the bed next to Roxas and burrowed under the covers. 

“You are _not_ going back to sleep, Vani,” Roxas chided. 

“I know. Weaseling out of things is your area of expertise,” Vanitas responded, poking Roxas’s nose. 

“Are you ever going to stop calling me that?” Roxas asked. 

“What? A weasel? Absolutely not.” Vanitas captured Roxas in another hug, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “You’re a cute little weasel though.” 

“Stop!” Roxas complained, fighting back a smile. 

“Hmm, no.” Vanitas grinned before littering his love’s face with kisses. 

“I’m serious! We need to get ready!” Roxas was promptly ignored, tackled to the bed, and smothered in nuzzles and kisses. “Vani stop!” 

“Or else, what, Ventus will beat me with a frying pan?”

“Yes I will! I knew you two weren’t getting ready!” Ven’s voice boomed from the other side of the door. 

Vanitas groaned, while Roxas only laughed. 

“If you can spend days wandering the streets looking for me, you can spend a few hours in a meeting sitting next to me,” Roxas pointed out. 

“I didn’t realize happily ever after came with conditions.” 

“It’s worth it to be together, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” Vanitas took Roxas’s face in his hands, looking into his eyes and kissing him one more time. “Yes it is.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...that was a story. Hope you liked it?


End file.
